“You mean the company that spied on my phone records?”
Alex smiles. “That’s the one.”
“No! Absolutely not!” Bree says. Alex can hear her from across the restaurant.
He gets up from the table and glances at Melissa. “Excuse me for a moment.”
He walks over to Bree, who has the phone pressed against her ear. She’s not talking anymore, just listening.
And her expression is getting angrier with every second.
CHAPTER 44
THIRTY MINUTES LATER, ALEX is behind the wheel of the rental car. Raleigh-Durham International Airport is five minutes away.
Bree is huddled in the passenger seat, arms folded, staring out the window.
“Bluestone is asking too much this time,” she mutters. “I should quit.”
“Quitting is always an option,” says Alex.
“But you don’t think it’s a good one. I can hear it in your voice.”
Alex takes the airport exit. “Bree, I love you to the moon and back. You’ve saved my life and sanity more times than I can count. You’re the best wife and partner any man could wish for and a rock for our family.”
“Mm-hmm,” says Bree, turning toward her husband. “I’m waiting for thebut.”
“Well, then, here it is,” says Alex. “You know I’ll support you inanything you do, Bree, but Bluestone is calling you in because the feds are all-hands-on-deck with these bombings. They know you have contacts. You have skills. You have experience.”
“But Damon—”
“I know, I know,” says Alex. “But if you quit Bluestone, how do you know they’ll keep on answering that number on the flyer? Maybe they’d back-burner it or turn it over to a B-team.”
“They wouldn’t dare.”
“Bluestone has other priorities—especially now.”
Bree sighs. “Damn it. I know you’re right, but I hate to leave before we have Damon home safely.”
Alex nods, feeling his throat constrict. He understands the conflict Bree is feeling and her anger at being torn away from the search for Damon. But he also knows that she’s a patriot. And it’s their home city under attack.
Is he nudging her to go back? Sure. But it’s still her choice.
He pulls up to the curb at the departure terminal and puts the car in park.
Bree unbuckles her seat belt and opens her door. Alex jumps out his side, grabs Bree’s bag from the trunk, and wheels it onto the walkway.
Then he reaches for her and gives her a long, hard, loving squeeze.
“I feel like I’m abandoning you,” Bree says into his shoulder. “I feel like I’m abandoning Damon!”
Alex kisses the top of her head. “No, you’re not. You’re helping the country. And while you’re doing that, you’ll also be able to ride herd on that tip line. And you know I’ll be here looking for Damon twenty-four seven.”
Bree draws back, tears welling in her eyes. “I can’t stand this.”
Alex hugs her again. “You can do it. We can do it. Wehaveto do it.”
She wipes her eyes and grabs the handle of her luggage. “I know, I know.”
